New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE WEST SIDE LIGHTED UP.
NEARLY A WHOLE BLOCK IN FLAMES
THE cay MARKET BURNrD OUT AGAIy-Loss ovrR
5000 600.

NEARLY WHOLE BLOCK IN FLAMES.
THE cay MARKET BURNrD OUT AGAry--Loss ovrn
100000.
Inc hay market, occupying most of the block be-
tween Thirtythrd and T.hirty-fourth sts., from
Eleventh-ave. to the North River, was destroyed
oy fire last night. For nearly three hours the
flames Illuminated tho west side Of the citv. and
the glare was noticeable at distance of several
miles In all directions. More than five thousand
people focked to the neighborhood of the coniagra
tion. Exaggerated rumos Of losses were spread
about the city on account Of the great blaze
Such grand spectacle had not been witnessed
in the district since the night Of September 8.
1884, when the old hay market was burned uu
along with the big Manhattan Market. The loss
iast night wcrc estimated at about 5000 ,J00 four
orlck buildings filled with grain and feed beina
copsumed with the hay sheds
Nearly all OF the structures which were destroyed
were built in the fall of 1880. The old hay mar
Ret had consisted Of rcsety wooden sheds which
had been erected by dealers on land belonoinr to
the New-ioriS Central and Hudson River Railroad
Company. After the ruins of the September fro
mao been CLEARED away the company built two long
sheds OF Georgia pine and corrugated iron each
ono story In height, and designed expressly for
tAe stoface OF hay. One shed extended 700 feet I'M
near the North River pier. The other In Thirty
fourth ST.. was 300 feet long. Partitions divided
the sheds into sections which were let to scpareo
dealers. The cause of the fire last night was a
mystery. At z 80 clock. when the sheds wero
closed for the night, policeman saw flames burst
Ing from the roof Of the long shed in Thirty.
thlrd-st. about midway between the river and the
avenue. He hastened to give an alarm, but be-
lore the Hist company OF fremen arrived the
hames had spread through the entire shed and
the glare wac lichting up the city. third
alarm was sounded promptly but it was already
Too late to save the buildings in the block Feed
ing on the bales Of hay and on the pine frame
work Of the shed. the fire spread with startling
raridity and attacked the buildings in Thirty.
10urth-st. before any water could be thrown by
the engines. The entire block was blazing within
twenty minutes after the fist alarm was given.
Higher and hotter grew the flames until it seemed
as If no power could check their progress. From
the large area Of burning hay and timbers went
up cloud OF smoke that spread over the city
like a pail.
Crowds were rushing through Thirtythird and
Ihirty-fourth-sts from Sixth-ave. and the parts
OF the city nearer to the river, when the fremen
and police reached the fire. Both streets west of
lenth-ave. became so full Of people before o'clock
that they were nearly impossible Captain Wash
burn, Of the 1hirty-seventhst police had to call
for reserves from other prerincts to keep the
multitude in check The iremen under the COM
mand OF Chief Shay made q determined fight to
keep the flames from extending across Thirty
fourth-st and Eleventh-ave. AS the wind sent
the flames toward the north, the new Manhattan
Market on the north side of Thrty-fourth-st. was
In danger The heat was too great to let the
iremen stay in the street. but lines Of hose were
carried into the market building and streams oo
water were played on the roof and exposed side.
Twice the tower at the corner of Thirty-fourthst.
and Eleventh.ave. took fire. but the flames wera
checked In time to save the building.
With the hay sheds were DESTROYED fhe thre0
brick build ngs the south side of Thirty-fouth-
ST., near the avenue, and the brick building
fronting on the avenue. The latter building was
owned by the railroad company and occupied by
L. Is. Chase & Co. as q feed depot and grain ele-
vator. Before 10 O'Clock all the buildings in tho
block were in ruins and the subugation or the
lire only a matter Of time. The ruins con-
tinued to blaze all night. but all danger to adjon,
ing blocks was over
The sheds cost the railroad com pany about
900 in 1880, and the building occupied by
T. b. Chase & Co. was worth $4,000, making
u loss of the railroad company about 100000. All
the machinery of Chase & Jo.; said to be worth
dealer IN feed owned and occupied the three-story
HIS loss about $1,000 SsS 5Ienas The adOoas Pus
to SOTs's bs s25eoo. The Rochester Brewing % Com.
paHE paGne %3 az Nos es2 and ga lost about SIS
p. Hickman had a liquor store on the hrss
floor and his stock vas "a oon SAD or1 70 Ss RsS1sa RS
boarding house near tine river was demaged to the
extent OF $4,000 and most of his furniture was
destroyed. The losses of dealers who occupied the
hay sheds were esi Imated as follows:
wiltsey & Co.. 900; W. Alech 4 Co. $l,Soo; "a
win 3. Duseubnry 81 ooo Frazee 4 Co.,. SO 900; Hub
bell & sche merhOrn 50 600; N. Fulor, 81. .500 Close
Dillenbeck, $1,000; s. Vromsn q Co.. $1,000: 7. AN
G Fonda & Co. $1,000; II. B. jenkins. $1,000. and j.
Alsdorr $1,000
Most of the property burned was said to be In
sured Some OF the dealers had more insurance
than their stock on hand was worth Hubbeu
& Scheruerhorn carried $4,000 Insurance In the
Germauia Com Dsny George Rehm had his prop
erty insured for 81 900 in the same company.
There were bout hundred horses stabbed on the
block Rumors were atioat that several Of these
had been burned; one report SAID tive. another ht-
teen but 1t Is beeved that they were all got out
sa civ before the fire got much of Al start.
John Carter. An employe With the New-York Cen.
trai Railroad helped an Old woman out from the
second story of Rehm's liquor store aud was nearly
over come by the smoke.
Whom the line of hay-sheds had been reduced to
a mass of blazing rnins Chief Shay stopped the play
of water on them and allowed the fire to burn. He
said that If the oay had been dampened IL would
have smouldered for about week, and the sooner
n was burned I'D the better.